Power lift marker



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS March 28, 1950 R. H.l WEAKS POWER LIFT MARKER Filed Dec. 6, 1946 ROBERT H. WEAKS BY wrm/wma Mza/am Mrch 28, 1950 R. H. WEAKS 2,592,067

PowER LIFT MARKER Filed Dec. 6, 1946 3 sheets-sheer 2 R. H. wEAKs POWER LIFT MARKER 3 Sheets-Sme?l 5 WzSr//IIVA March 2s, 195o Filed Dec. 6, 1946 4 Patented Mar. 28! 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POWER LIFT MARKER RobertiH. Weaks, Sikeston, M0.

Application December 6, 1946; Serial No. v714,421

y3 Claims. 1 llhisinvention relates to a lnew and improved lpower Ilift marker adapted -to be mounted on a itractor of `which the `following is a -specication 'The Aprimaryobject of `this invention resides in 4the provision of a 'new and improved power lift :marker yadapted Yto lbe mounted on a tractor in :conjunction with a planter mounted thereon and operated automatically-by the tractor therewith. `Another yobject of this invention is the provision 'of va marker whchis mounted in conjunction `with a #planter don a `tractor which conventionally'marks the -next row to `be planted while -iarow Ais -being planted, and a marker 'which is lifted 'automatically ywhen the planter is `lifted fat'the end'of the row and lowered again, when vdesired, when the planter is lowered at `thecomfinancement of the next row.

"Still another object of this invention is the provision -of a `power lift marker which is easily' toperated `by the operator `of -the tractor `in one reasy action, 4and such a device `which is of sim- ;ple, durable and inexpensive Ldesign and which is :adapted vto a conventional tractor.

.'Still "further 'improvements andadvantages oi jthis invention will readily appear to those skilled -`in the u"art when the following description is read in the 'light of the accompanying drawings in which:l

Figure 1 is a -plan View 4-of lthe llift lmarker of the ,present invention in association with the rplanter shown in dotted lines.

FigurelA'is aside elevation of the lift marker with 1thep'lani'ier and its-operating connection to -thepower lift omitted for the sake of clarity. Fig. "2 is a 'partial front elevation `taken Von line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top `plan view of the marker control.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the marker arm mounting.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the lever.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of this invention and in which like numerals indicate similar parts throughout the drawings A designates the conventional tractor having ythe 4planter P supported on the tractor frame intermediate the front and rear wheels thereof. Mounted `on one `or both sides of the tractor adjacent to the planter is c the power lift marker according vto the i'presenty invention.

The power lift marker of the present invention comprises a supporting bar l which is positioned exteriorly of one of the sides of the tractor lirame and lis secured to such side of the :tractor frame, the bar being slightly behind and above the front wheel of the tractor. A hanger member 2 is secured to the bar I in a depending position therefrom. A rectangular frame 3 is secured horizontally rearwardly from the Aupper end of the bar l.

-A vertically disposed memberA carrying a vhorizontal longitudinally extending `member 6 is pivoted to links 5, the `|`lin'ksbeing pivotally carried by the hanger member 2.

A lift linkage B is secured `to vone Ioi the links 5 fand :extends rearward of 'the tractor where it is so 'connected Ato :the gearing-of lthe tractor, and operable from the tractor seat that lthe member .A swings relative to vthe 'forward pivots of the links .5 to lselectively raise and llower the horizontal longitudinally extending member relative to the ground surface.

An upright l is secured to the outer edge ofthe horizontal `longitudinally extending lmember 6, and a bearing 8 is secured with its axis horizon- 4tally disposed at .the upper end of `said upright. A marker arm il is mounted 'for rocking movement Yabout Ya horizontal longitudinally extending axis between an outwardly and downwardly extendingoperative:position `and a vertical `transport-position ron said `.upright l, the arm 9 being provided adjacent fone end `thereof with a rock shaft 9 which is rotatably mounted in the bearring '8 with the `other end thereof extending for a predetermined distance where it receives an end =of a rod li] thereon which in turn carries a conventional row discmarker Il at its other end.

The end of the rock shaft 9 is tapered and is rmly secured to vone end of a lever i3 whose Yother end fpivotally `or rotatably interconnects `Lwith a rod-like l:member 114 which extends lupwardly :through an .aperture :F5 inthe outer end of va flat lhorizontal farm i6, the arm I6 being #secured :to the rectangular "frame `3 'by means of removable nuts and bolts ill.

The liat horizontal arm SIB is provided with means for vengaging the 'marker arm '8 to retain it in its vertical transport position, the said means comprising =a pair of spaced jaws I8 `which Iare horizontally `projected from the at arm "|16, one of said jaws being stationary and the other vjaw being pivoted as at i9 for movement to and 4away from `-the stationary jaw, `the movable jaw being biased to its normal spaced position vwith respect to the stationary ljaw by means of a spring 2U. The spring 20 has one end connected to one end of the movable jaw and its other end to a. projecting bar 2| which is spaced from the movable jaw and carried by the iiat horizontal arm I6. The movable jaw is notched as at 22 adapting it to retain the marker arm 9 in its vertical transport position. A trip rope or line 23 is secured to the other end of said movable jaw I8 to permit the tractor operator to release the marker to allow said marker to move downwardly and outwardly to a marking position with the lowering of the planter.

In operation the planter P is down adjacent the ground while planting a row. At the same time the marker disc and extension are downwardly and outwardly extended marking the ground for the next planting row to be planted.

When the end of the row is reached the tractor operator actuates the power lift by a lever adjacent his seat and the horizontal longitudinallyextending member B is lifted through linkage heretofore explained. When the planter is lifted through its connection with its power lift the upright 'I is also vertically raised thus raising the bearing 8 with it. A set collar C upon the rod-like member I4 then contacts the under surface of the fiat arm I6 preventing any further vertical movement which then causes the rotation of the rock shaft 9 of the arm 9 within the bearing 8 through the described linkage and causes the marker arm 9 and the disc marker I0 to be pivoted about said bearing to a vertical locked position between said jaws I8 as the upright 'I continues to its vertical limit.

When the planter is again lowered for the next planting row the operator need only pull the trip cord 23 and allow the marker to fall to its marking position.

Thus it may be seen that the necessity of the tractor operator dismounting and manually operating the marking equipment has been eliminated and a new and improved power lift marker provided.

Having thus described and explained the construction and function of this invention and with f ull belief that changes in size, shape and general characteristics would not constitute departure from the spirit of this invention what I desire to claim is:

1. In combination, a tractor having a horizontal longitudinally extending support member mounted on a tractor for raising and lowering movement, a vertical upright having an end secured to said member, a marker arm mounted on said upright for rocking movement about a horizontal longitudinally extending axis between an outwardly and downwardly extending operative position and a vertical transport position, a lever having an end secured to the marker arm for rocking the same, a at horizontal arm carried by said tractor, a vertical rod-like member pivotally connected to the other end of said lever and slidable Within said flat horizontal arm, stop means on said rod-like member coacting with said fiat horizontal arm for limiting sliding movement of the rod-like member, releasable means on said nat horizontal arm for engaging the marker arm to retain the same in its vertical transport position, and actuating linkage opera. tively connected to said support member and operable from the tractor for selectively raising and lowering the support member, wherebyT raising said support member causes said rod-like member to slide and said stop means to coact with said flat horizontal arm to limit movement of said rod-like member to cause said lever to rock the marker arm to raise the marker arm to its vertical transport position.

2. In combination, a tractor having a horizontal longitudinally extending support member mounted on the tractor for raising and lowering movement, a vertical upright having an end secured to said member, a marker arm mounted on said upright for rocking movement about a horizontal longitudinally extending axis vbetween an outwardly and downwardly extending operative position and a vertical transport position, a lever having an end secured to the marker arm for rocking the same, a flat horizontal arm carried by said tractor, a vertical rod-like member pivotally connected to the other end of said lever and slidable within said flat horizontal arm, stop means on said rod-like member coacting with said at horizontal arm for limiting sliding movement of the rod-like member, and actuating linkage operatively connected to said support member and operable from the tractor for selectively raising and lowering the support member, whereby raising said support member causes said rod-like member to slide and said stop means to coact with said at horizontal arm to limit movement of said rod-like member to cause said lever to rock the marker arm to raise the marker arm to its vertical transport position.

3. In combination, a tractor having a horizontal longitudinally extending support member mounted on the tractor for raising and lowering movement, a vertical upright having an end secured to said member, a marker arm mounted on said upright for rocking movement about a horizontal longitudinally extending axis between an outwardly and downwardly extending operative position and a vertical transport position, a lever having an end secured to the marker arm for rocking the same, a flat horizontal arm carried by said tractor, a vertical rod-like member pivotally connected to the other end of said lever and slidable within said flat horizontal arm, a stop means embodying a collar positioned on said rod-like member below and spaced from said iiat horizontal arm and fixedly secured to said rodlike member for limiting sliding movement of the rod-like member, and actuating linkage operatively connected to said support member and operable from the tractor for selectively raising and lowering the support member, whereby raising said support member causes said rod-like member to slide and said collar to coact vwith said at horizontal arm to limit movement of said rod-like member to cause said lever to rock the marker arm to raise the marker arm to its vertical transport position.

ROBERT H. WEAKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

'UNITED STATES PATENTS v K Number Name Date 1,078,846 Gosnay Nov. 18, 1913 1,911,218 White May 30, 1933 2,010,110 Scarlett Aug. 6, 1935 2,063,852 Ray Dec. 8, 1936 2,152,212 Reinkens Mar. 28, 1939 2,178.124 Robinson Oct. 31, 1939 

